Stickers, Cure to Lost in Translation? Better Believe It!

For most of my life, communication has been an almost insurmountable challenge. My words - clear and direct in my head - seemed to land wrong no matter how curated and exact. It wasn't until I learned that I have ADHD and ASD which I'll refer to as AuDHD that the challenges finally made sense.

My brain speaks in short but direct and exact dialect. But the world often communicates in subtext, social nuance and emotional shorthand’s which left me feeling lost in translation.

I learned the hard way that "Shared Meaning" isn't just about vocabulary. It's shaped and influenced by unwritten social rules. My preference for straight forward and direct communication style has been a recurring theme of causing difficulties in establishing both personal and professional relationships.

Then, I had that personal AH-HA moment and started incorporating stickers. Beautiful, colorful and engaging stickers in my planning process.

Simple, but effective!

Yes, stickers have become an intricate and powerful tool in my arsenal. Little pieces of art bursting with meaning, condense emotion and meaning into 1 image. I've embraced my Lisa Frank affinity and repurposed it as a clear and effective tool for communication.

They're My Cognitive and Emotional Shortcut

Condensing complex feelings and intentions in a single visual have drastically reduced the stress and burden of finding socially-palatable words to genuinely communicate my thoughts, and I am so grateful for them.

Landing the connection without Small Talk

Small talk has never been a skill I possess making interpersonal relationships so much more challenging.

Not anymore...stickers activate emotional resonance and speak a universal language of feeling. Making them an invaluable tool to bridge the gap lacking small talk skills created.

My Life in a Visual Story

Stickers go far beyond decoration. They are an intricate part of the way I live life.

1. Daily Planner: Brings the page to life in fun, silly and creative colors and images

2. Goal-Tracking becomes a motivating storyboard.

3. Habit building is engaging, fun and colorful

Embracing stickers has unlocked my creative side making the once mundane come to life through illustrations.

We're All Speaking This New Language

This isn't just a personal hack. According to Forbes, Stickers are Emojis on steroids, and  along with GIFs, are part of a fast-growing visual digital language. They're filling the emotional and contextual gaps that text alone can leave behind. For a mind that thrives on directness, this language isn't frivolous - it's essential. It's the cure for the "lost in translation" feeling.

These little bursts of art have allowed me to show up more authentically, connect more deeply and navigate the world with a little more color and a lot less confusion.

If you're interested or have questions feel free to connect.

Comeback next week for another gem.

Happy Growing!